Blind stitch sewing machine



Jan. 11, 1955 BUONO 2,699,131

BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1955 V M; BVUONO 2,699,131

BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1952 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f: I Q 1% 5-. j

N 0 I O'| r 7; a Z6 7 6 J1 d 29 a m w 46 h 7;| (Z 2 47 7 .4 A will i i A i lNVENTOR f MARIO BUONO MPBLAW ATTORNEYS Jan. 11,1955 M. ,BUONO BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1952 4 Syets-Sheet 3 FIG-.7.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1955 M. BUONO 2,699,131

7 BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR MARIO BVONG BY M W ATTORNEYS United States Patent BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE Mario Buono, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to U. S. Blind Stitch Machine Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 10, 1952, Serial No. 265,770 8 Claims. (Cl. 112-176) My invention relates to a new and improved sewing machine of the blind stitch type. The invention also relates to a new and improved stitched article and to a new and improved method of making a stitched article.

In making coats and other garments, it is desirable to provide a non-stretchable reinforcing tape between two layers of the garment, as in forming the edge of a lapel or in forming another edge-portion of the garment. This non-stretchable and reinforcing tape may be located longitudinally along the edge of the lapel or along another edge of the garment, in order to maintain the shape of the garment. According to prior practice, it was necessary to sew two pieces of the outer fabric of the garment to each other and to turn the edges of these Ugo strips of cloth to provide reinforced and stiffened e ges.

According to my invention, it is possible to fold a single layer of the outer fabric of the garment in order to provide two folds of said layer, and to stitch a reinforcing tape or other strip between these two folds, by means of blind stitches which are invisible at the exterior or fair face of the garment or other article.

I thus produce great economy in manufacture and a superior article.

Other objects of my invention are disclosed in the annexed description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the improved machine.

Fig. l is an end elevation of the improved machine, taken at one end of the machine;

P Fig. 1-A is a detail section on the line 1A-1A of.

Fig. 2 is a section, partially in plan view, on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view, partially in section, greatly enlarged, which shows the final and improved article in which the tape is enclosed between the layers of a bight of a single layer of fabric. This bight is formed while the tape is being stitched in position.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of one edge of an improved garment, which has such tape along the edge of the lapel and also along the vertical edge of the garment below the lapel.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an exploded assembled view, in perspective, of certain important parts of the improved machine; and

Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of some of the separated parts of Fig. 12, which are used to control the depth of the stitch.

The blind stitch machine itself is largely of a wellknown type, such as the type disclosed in the Buono U. S. Patent No. 2,514,837, issued on July 11, 1950. Hence, many of the parts are shown only generally.

This machine has the usual head 1, the usual yoke 2 for the usual looper 3, and the usual curved needle N. This type of machine makes blind stitches of the chain type, but the invention is not necessarily limited to chain 2,699,131 Patented Jan. 11, 1955 stitch machines. The work is fed longitudinally forwardly over the top of the work supporting table 4. In Fig. 1, the direction of feed is from right to left. The needle N is of the usual curved type in this embodiment, and it oscillates in a plane which is transverse to the direction of feed of the work. The fabric and tape are fed intermittently and in unison, and the stitches are formed while the fabric and tape are temporarily stationary between successive feeding strokes of the feed dog D. The path of transverse oscillation of the curved needle N is shown in'Fig. 7. The work-table 4 is pivoted in the usual manner by means of a transverse pivot 5, to the frame F of the machine. At its front, said worktable 4 has the usual depending and rigid and lateral arm 6, whose position is adjusted relative to the frame F of the machine, by means of the longitudinal adjusting rod 7, which is slidable in a bore of the frame F of the machine, as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4,. the adjusting rod 7 is provided with a head 8, and the compression spring 9 biases the longitudinal rod 7 away from the lateral depending arm 6 of the table 4. The rod 7 is pivotally connected by pivot 10 to a lever 11 which is pivoted in the usual manner by pivot 12 to the frame F of the machine. At its top, said lever 11 has the usual fork-shape, and the lever 11 is operated by means of the usual adjusting rod 14 which has the usual collars 15a, between which the arms of the forked upper end of the lever 11 are located. This rod 14 has a screw thread at a part thereof. Said rod 14 is turnable in an untapped opening of the head 1 of the machine. Said rod 14 is turned by means of an adjusting knob 15. This knob 15 has the usual scale, and the head 1 of the machine has the usual index 16 fixed thereto. When the rod 14 is operated by turning the knob 15, said rod 14 merely turns relative to the head 1 of the machine, preferably without moving longitudinally relative to said head 1 of the machine. The knob 15 has a tapped bore through which the threaded part of the rod 14 extends. The collars 15a are nonturnable on rod 14. These collars 15a have internal tapped bores and they are moved longitudinally on rod 14 when rod 14 is turned.

Suitable biasing means, of the type shown in said U. S. Patent No. 2,514,837, are provided for pressing the depending lateral arm 6 of the work-table 4 against the tip of the adjusting rod 7. As viewed in Fig. 4, there is no limit to the counter-clockwise turning movement of the table 4 from its median position of Fig. 4. The clockwise turning movement of table 4 from its position of Fig. 4 is limited by suitable limiting or stop means. These limiting means are shown in said prior Patent No. 2,514,837, and they are sufliciently illustrated herein by a limit or stop screw 17, which is adjustably threaded in a tapped hole of the arm 6. This screw 17 is provided with a lock nut 18. Said prior Patent No. 2,514,837 also shows a tension spring for keeping the arm 6 in contact with the rod member 7, and it also shows a knob for adjusting the tension of such tension spring. This knob is shown herein as the knob 19. This tension spring 191) is shown in Fig. l-A. The machine is provided with the usual feed dog D, which intermittently and longitudinally feeds the work, including the tape T. This feed dog operates forwardly of the needle, and it engages the fabric 42 and the tape T in intermittent strokes.

The pivoted work table 4 is provided with the usual identical and longitudinally disposed work-supporting fingers 20. Each work-supporting finger 20 is pivoted by pivot 21 to an angular arm 22 which is pivoted at 23 to the table 4. Each arm 22 is provided with the usual tension spring 23, one end of which is connected to the rigid frame F of the machine. This disclosure applies fully to the other work-supporting finger 20 and its accessory parts. Each of the arms 22 is provided with the usual adjusting screw 24 which is adjustable in a tapped opening of the respective arm 22. The tip of each screw 24 abuts a part of the frame F. Each said adjusting screw 24 is provided with the usual lock-nut 25.

The machine has the usual foot or plate P. This plate P is fixed to the head 1 in the usual manner. The transverse rock shaft 26, which is oscillated back and forth, is pivoted in suitable bearings in the work-table 4. As shown in Fig. 12, a collar 27 is fixed to one end of the shaft 26, which is designated as a rib rock-shaft. This collar 27 is provided with a cylindrical head 23. A twopiece rib member 29, when assembled, has a bight-forming groove or recess between its two pieces. This groove is longitudinally disposed. This member 29 consists of the ribs or bight-forming parts 36 and 31 which are shown in Fig. 13. The first rib 36 has a convex edge-wall 32 which is concentric with the axis of shaft 26, a noncylindrical slot 33 and an elongated and non-cylindrical hole 34. When the parts are assembled, the shaft 26 extends through the elongated and non-cylindrical hole 34 of the member 30, as illustrated in Fig. 7, so that the member can be adjusted relative to shaft 26 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the rock shaft 26. The second rib 31 is provided with a convex-edge wall 40 which is concentric with the axis of shaft 26, and with respective guide-projections 35 and 36. The second rib 31 also has a cylindrical bore 37. When the parts are assembled, and as shown in Fig. 12, the planar vertical edge 36a of the guide projection 36 slidably abuts the planar edge wall 33a of the slot 33, and the guide projection 36 is located slidably in the slot 33. Also, in such assembly, the planar edge wall 35a of the guide projection 35 abuts the planar edge wall 38 of the member 30. The member 30 is thus adjustable in a limited upand-down or transverse adjusting movement relative to the member 31. Said member 31 is fixed to the shaft 26. The reduced extension 26a of shaft 26 fits closely in the cylindrical bore 37 of member 31. When the parts are assembled, the end of extension 26a is enlarged, as by spinning, to provide a head 39, so that member 31 cannot move relative to shaft 26. This reduced extension 26a provides a shoulder of the shaft 26 which abuts the respective face of the member 31, so that head 39 holds member 31 firmly against said shoulder. The member 31 has a curved edge-wall 40, which is identical in contour and dimensions with the curved edge-wall 32, so that the transverse recess or space between said edgewalls 40 and 32 makes it possible to form the rib or bight 41 of the single piece of fabric 42 in combination with the chute 74, which is later described. The member 30 is provided with a bottom extension which is provided with a curved slot 43, which receives a pin for adjusting the member 30 up and down or transversely relative to shaft 26. This slot 43 is concentric with the axis of the rib rock-shaft 26. The shaft 26 is oscillated by suitable means. As shown in Fig. 12, one end of the shaft 26 is rigidly fixed to a yoke 44 by means of a clamping screw 45. A pivot pin 46 is turnable in a suitable bearing of the yoke 44. A link 47 has a top yoke head which is fixed by means of a clamping screw 48 to the pin 46. The link 47 can thus turn freely relative to the yoke 44.

As shown in Fig. 4, the link 47 has a head which is provided with a bore. A shaft 56 is rotatable in the head 1 of the machine. An eccentric 51, which is located in the bore of the head of the link 47, is fixed to the shaft 50. A gear 52 is fixed to the shaft 50. This gear 52 meshes with another gear 53 which is fixed to the main operating shaft 54 of the machine. Any selected gear ratio is utilized between the gears 52 and 53. Preferably, gears 53 and 52 have the same pitch diameter. Gear 52 and shaft may be omitted, and the eccentric 51 may be directly fixed to the main shaft 54. The eccentric 51 thus oscillates the link 47, thus rocking the shaft 26.

Fig. 12 shows the pin 55, which extends through the slot 43. The manual adjustment of the pin 55 determines the maximum depth of the blind stitches which are produced at the edge 32 of the first rib 30. The manual adjustment of the lever 11 and of work-table 4 determines the depth of the respective blind stitches at the second rib 31. The pin 55 is fixed to a rod 56 which is fixed to a rod 57. The rod 57 extends partially into a recess of adjusting block 58, to which rod 57 is fixed. This adjusting block or member 58 has lugs 59, by means of which the adjusting member 58 is turnably mounted on the stationary rod 60. This rod 60 is fixed to the work table 4. The adjusting member 58 is turned relative to the fixed rod 60, in order to adjust member 30, by means of 4 a link 61 which is pivotally connected by pivot 62a to said adjusting member 58. A yoke 62 is pivotally connected by pivot 63 to the link 61. Said yoke 62 has a screw 64 fixed thereto. As shown in Fig. 5, the screw 64 is fixed adjustably to a bushing 65, which has a tapped recess to receive the respective threaded end of the screw 64. This bushing 65 has a shank 66 which is fixed to a knob 67 by means of a set screw 68. The knob 67 has a fiange 69 which is provided with a series of teeth 69a. A ball 70 which is pressed upwardly by means of a spring 71, acts as a click to releasably engage the teeth 69a of the head 69, as shown in Fig. 6. As also shown in Fig. 6, the compression spring 71 is located in a recess of the worktable 4, and the ball 70 is slidable in said recess. The turning of the knob 67 thus increases or decreases the height of the bight-forming stroke of the member 30 which is produced by the oscillation of the shaft 26. After the position of the pin 55 has been manually adjusted, the member 30 merely oscillates in unison with the shaft 26 without moving up or down relative to the oscillating shaft 26. The member 30 is thus oscillated by the guide projections 36 and 35 of member 31. However, the manual adjustment of knob 67 regulates the geptgioof the blind stitches which are formed at mem- This regulation of the depth of the blind stitch at each side of the bight 41 is important, in order to operate the machine with different materials or different thicknesses of materials.

Fig. 8 shows a full-line position of the first rib 30, in which its walls 38 and 82 are vertical or substantially vertical. This is the highest position of first rib 30, in which said first rib 30 is held stationary while the needle N makes its respective stitch-forming stroke. At this time, the second rib 31 is in its respective highest position, in which its wall 81 is vertical or substantially vertical. When the ribs 30 and 31 are in their full-line positions of Fig. 8, the pin 55 is in its full-line position of Fig. 8. The full-line positions of ribs 30 and 31 and pin 55 111 Fig. 8 are the same as their positions in Figs. 1 and 12. In such full-line positions of ribs 30 and 31, blind stitches of equal depth are formed at the ribs 39 and 31.

Fig. 8 also shows a broken-line highest position of the first rib 30, in which its wall 82 is also vertical or substantially vertical, and in which the blind stitch is of gretaer depth at the Second rib 31 than at the first rib 30.

That is, assume that the respective highest positions of r bs 30 and 31 are the positions which are shown in full lines in Fig. 8. While the second rib 31 is maintained in said full-line highest position of Fig. 8, it is possible to raise screw 64, thus lowering pin 55 from its position of Fig. 12 and lowering first rib 30 from its full-line highest position of Fig. 8, to its broken-line highest-position of Fig. 8, so that the highest position of first rib 30 is now below the highest position of second rib 31. Such ad ustment can be made, preferably while the machine is not running, when the ribs 30 and 31 are many positions relative to the fixed plate P. As shown in Fig. 7, the ribs 31 and 30 are alined with needle-plate slots of the plate P, in order to project stitch-forming areas upwardly through said needle-plate slots, into the path of the needle.

The tape or ribbon T is fed to the machine through a guide 72, which has a slot 73 through which the tape T isfed to the stitch-forming mechanism. As shown in Fig. 13, the slot 73 is continuous with a forward guidechute 74 which has reduced ends 74a, thus providing a space 75 directly abovethe tops of the reduced ends 74a for the transverse back-and-forth strokes of the needle N. This chute 74, as shown in Fig. 7, acts in combination with bight-forming members 30 and 31 to depress a part of the layer of material 42, in order to form the depressed bight 41 of the layer 42. Also, the height of the ends 74a is less than the height of the tape T in bight 41, so that the top-edge portion of thetape T is above the bottom of the path of the needle N. The needle N therefore forms respective blind stitches at the members 31 and 30, and respective through-and-through stitches in the tape T, during the forward strokes of the needle.

The guide 72 has holes 740, through whichfastening members 74d extend, in order to fix guide 72 to the-foot or plate P, which is fixed to head 1.

Fig. 9 shows the needle thread Na, and it also shows blind chain stitches at the points 76, 76a, and 76b, and also at the points '77, 77a, and 77b. These blind stitches are invisible at the fair side of thefabric. Fig. 9 also shows the loops of the chain stitches at the points 78, 78a and 78b. Fig. 10 shows a lapel 79 of a coat, and a part of the vertical edge 80 of said coat which is below the lapel 79. The tape T is provided between the doubled folds of the single layer of fabric 42, along the edge 79a of the lapel 79 and also along the vertical edge 80. Fig. 11 shows the respective folds 42a and 42b of the single layer material 42 in the finished garment and the tape T. The stitches are invisible in Fig. 11.

There is always some clearance between the pin 55 and the ends of the slot 43. The shaft 26 may oscillate through a total angle of about 30".

If gears 53 and 52 are of equal pitch diameter, or if said gears 53 and 52 are omitted and the eccentric 50 is located on shaft 54 to oscillate shaft 26 through the in termediate connections, the machine is not a skip-stitch machine, because two blind stitches in fabric 42 and a through-and-through stitch in tape T are formed at every stitch-forming stroke of the needle N.

The work is pressed down upon the members 30 and 31 by the usual fingers 85, which are fixed to rods 86,

which are turnably connected to table 4. The usual tor-' siondiprings 87 are provided to press the fingers 85 downwar y.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, the longitudinal bight 41 is formed in the layer 42 intermediate the edges of said layer 42, so that said bight 41 is formed between longitudinal areas of said layer 42, which abut the edge-walls 40 and 32 and serve as stitch-forming areas. These longitudinal or stitch-forming areas are held down on edges 40 and 32 by means of the fingers 85. The top edge portion of tape T then extends above said longitudinal areas. The blind stitches are formed in said longitudinal areas. Of course, the bight 41 may be formed at any angle relative to the edges of the layer of material 42, and the term longitudinal is merely used for convenient reference.

The operations illustrated herein may be performed by hand or by any type of mechanism.

The longitudinal or stitch-forming areas of the layer 42 are preferably substantially transverse and horizontal and perpendicular to the legs of the bight when the stitches are formed, but it is suificient if said longitudinal stitch-forming areas are generally transversely disposed in order to form blind stitches which are invisible at the outer face of the layer 42, which may be fabric or any other material.

Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 are substantially to scale, and reference is made thereto for additional detailed disclosure.

A blind stitch is formed in each longitudinal area during each stitch-forming stroke of the needle N. During said stitch-forming stroke, the needle N is turned counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 7. During each stitch-forming stroke, the needle N passes through and forms stitches at both longitudinal stitch-forming areas of layer 42 which are respectively at edge walls and 32 and at transversely alined points of said areas, and the machine throws out a loop of the needle thread at the bight-forming member 30. During the return clockwise movement of needle N, the looper 3 engages said loop of the needle thread and enlarges said loop, and the feed dog D operates to feed the fabric and tape.

If the fabric or other material 42 is thin, the stitches may be visible at the outer or fair face of said material 42. The use of such thin material is included in the invention, which is thus not limited to blind stitches.

The invention includes the sub-combinations and parts of the complete machine. I

I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, but numerous changes and omissions and additions and substitutions can be made without departing from its scope.

Thus, it is well-known to apply a layer of canvas or other reinforcing material to the entire front of a coat or a part of said front. Such canvas layer can be fed in unison with layer 42 in fiat shape at one side of the bight 41, with one edge of the canvas close to the respective leg of the bight 41. The needle N, in each forward stroke, will form a through-and-through stitch in the edge of the canvas, in addition to the blind stitches in fabric 42 at each side of the bight 41, and in addition to the through-and-through stitch in tape T.

I claim:

1. A sewing machine which has a frame and a curved needle, means to oscillate said needle in a transverse path which has a stitch-forming stroke and a return stroke, a work table, a transverse pivot connecting said work table to said frame, a transverse rib rock-shaft journaled in said work table, means to feed the work longitudinally over said work table, a first rib mounted on said rib rock-shaft, a second rib mounted on said rib rock-shaft, said ribs being longitudinally disposed and being transversely spaced from each other, said second rib being fixed to said rib rock-shaft to oscillate in unison with said rib rock-shaft, said first rib being laterally adjustable relative to said rib rock-shaft in a direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said rib rock-shaft, first adjusting means adapted to adjust said first rib relative to said rib rock-shaft, second adjusting means adapted to adjust said work table angularly relative to said frame, a tape-guide which has a longitudinal chute which is located intermediate said ribs, the inner end of said chute being spaced laterally from said path of the needle, said chute being located to feed a tape to intersect said path of the needle, said second rib having means to engage said first rib to oscillate said first rib in unison with said rib rock-shaft.

2. A sewing machine according to claim 1, in which said first rib has a slot which is concentric with the axis of said rib rock-shaft, said first adjusting means comprising a pin which is slidable in said slot, and regulating means for regulating the position of said pin relative to said rib rock-shaft in a direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said rib rock-shaft.

3. A sewing machine according to claim 2, in which said pin is connected to a rod which is parallel to said rib rock-shaft, said rod is turnably connected to another rod which is fixed to said work table, and said regulating means are connected to said first-mentioned rod and to said work table.

4. A combination according to claim 3, in which said machine has a frame, said tape guide is fixed to said frame, and means to shift said ribs relative to said chute and toward said needle path during said stitch-forming stroke and to shift said ribs away from said needle path during said return stroke.

5. A combination according to claim 3, in which said machine has a frame, said tape guide is fixed to said frame, and a rock-shaft to which said ribs are operatively connected to oscillate in unison with said rock-shaft.

6. A combination according to claim 3, in which said machine has a frame, said tape guide is fixed to said frame, a rock-shaft to which one of said ribs is fixed, the other rib being adjustable relative to said rock-shaft in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said rock-shaft, said ribs being in sliding engagement to oscillate said other rib in unison with said rock-shaft.

7. A sewing machine according to claim 3 in which said machine has a frame, said work table is adjustable toward and away from said needle path, a rib support is connected to said work table, said tape guide is fixed to said frame, said rib support is movable to shift said ribs toward said needle path and away therefrom, one of said ribs being fixed to said rib support, the other rib being adjustable relative to said rib support, and adjusting means fixed to said work table and adapted to adjust said other rib relative to said work table.

8. In a sewing machine which has intermittently operated work-feeding means which are operative to feed the work intermittently in work-feeding strokes in a longitudinal horizontal Work-feeding direction, and a needle which is mounted to move in a vertical transverse needle-plane which is perpendicular to said workfeeding direction, said needle being movable back-andforth in a needle-path in said needle-plane in opposed stitch-forming strokes and reverse strokes, and mechanism for actuating said work-feeding means to feed the work during said reverse strokes; the combination in said machine, of a pair of ribs which are in vertical planes which are parallel to said work-feeding direction and which are spaced from each other in a transverse horizontal direction which is perpendicular to said work-feeding direction, said ribs having operative positions in which the tops of said ribs are adjacent to and below said path; a tape-guide which has a hollow end-part, said end-part being open at the top edge of said end-part, said end part being in a vertical plane which is parallel to said Work-feeding direction and being located between and being spaced from said ribs in the operative positions of said ribs, saidtop edge ofsaid-end-part-being below said References Cited in the file of this patent needle-path; said end-part and said ribs in the operative positions of said ribs being adapted and operative to UNITED STATES PATENTS form a depressed bight of the Work in the spaces between 1,588,131 Mueller June 8, 1926 saidend-part and said ribs and under the bottom edge 5 2,108,101 Buono Feb. 15, 1938 of saidend-part, said end-part being shaped'and located 2,113,107 Bowman Apr. 5, 1938 to support a tape in a vertical plane which is parallel to 2,416,941 Mueller Mar. 4, 1947 said Work-feeding direction and with the top edge-portion 2,514,837 Buono July 11, 1950 of said tape extending above said'needle-path. 

